THE hunt is on to find out if a bloodthirsty crocodile really is lurking in theRiver Lea.A Leyton and Leytonstone Guardian exclusive last week revealedthat the reptile could have been responsible for snatching a large Canada goosefrom the river, near the Lea Interchange in Leyton.Since then reports havecome in that the peckish beast may be taking its pick from the river's rich menuof wildlife.Five cygnets have been reported missing to the Lea Rivers Trustand tales of dogs being snatched from the riverbank are doing the rounds amonglocal fishermen.

SPECTACLED CAIMAN A man who paid £20 in an Essex pub for what he thought was anexotic lizard ran into trouble as the creature turned out to be a SpectacledCaiman - a type of Crocodile. The Caiman - christened Carmen - was only 12inches long when it was rescued in June 2000, but at full size could grow up toseven feet in length. When found it was severely underweight, had an infectedstub on its broken tail and had two claws missing. Caimans, which require beinghoused in tropical conditions and fed a diet of fish and meat, have anaggressive nature.

An alligator, which lived most of his life in a building in the back garden of ahouse in Greater Manchester, is starting a new life in Spain, thanks to theRSPCA. Samson, a six-foot American alligator, has lived in a purpose-built homeattached to the conservatory of his owner’s house in Bury for 27 years. August2002

A North London man whose son swapped a fish for what he thought was a smalllizard had to call in the RSPCA when the animal grew into a crocodile and bithim - and could have killed him.The boy had in fact been given a babyspectacled cayman, capable of growing to more than 7 feet and more suited tofeasting on the flesh of large birds and mammals in South American swamps than aterraced house in Palmers Green.When the boy, a keen fish breeder, firstobtained the cayman, which is listed as a dangerous wild animal and has to beregistered with the authorities, it was only two inches long. Over the next 18months it grew and grew until it was two-and-a half feet. The crocodile was keptin a four-foot tank half filled with water - although caymans need dry land tobask on in order to be fit and healthy.

Inspector Ian Briggs RSPCA officers rescued a five-foot alligator from a flat inChesterfield, where it had been living in a pond liner in a bedroom measuringjust ten feet square.Louis the Mississippi alligator was imported from Americato live in a British zoo, before he was sold to a pet shop and then snapped upby an exotics’ collector. However, the alligator’s new owner, who did not have aDWA licence, quickly found he was unable to cope with the creature.RSPCAInspector Ian Briggs said: “Alligators like Louis can grow up to 12 feet inlength. Clearly, a flat is a totally unsuitable environment for an animal suchas this. The alligator was not licensed so there was no mechanism in place foreither its welfare or safety issues to be monitored.”The DWA Act must betightened up so that animals such as this do not slip through the net.” Louis,who was rescued from the flat in December 1999, is now being cared for atThrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens, a specialist exotics centre in North Norfolk.

There is also a strange link between crocs and one of the ancient Welsh lake monsters the Affanc. More on this later.

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Welsh Monster Hunting

Pluck Lake Croc - I conducted a search for this elusive Swansea beast in 2008 noted in national media - BBC, Daily Telegraph, Sun and Daily Mail.Basic details here - Croc identified! There have been other examples of UK Crocs. If you have any info on the Swansea Croc please leave a comment and contact details.